Smith thompson



UNITED STATE-s SMITH THOMPSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT-OF COLUMBIA.

LETTER-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'L'etters Patent No. 380,148. dated March 27, 1888. Application mea May s, les?. seal No. sme. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SMITH THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s This invention relates to letter-boxes, and

has for its object the production of a simple, cheap, and economical letter-box, whereby a supplemental compartment is provided for the reception of newspapers, periodicals, merchandise, te., which cannot be conveniently placed in the letter-box through the usual opening.

The improvement consists in the novel features hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and shown in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, parts being broken away, of a letter-box and my detachable improvement; Fig. 2, a front view of the attachment, showing the cover thrown up;

and Fig. 3 is a modified form, showing the 3o letter -box and' supplemental compartment made together.

The preferred form is composed of the top or cover A, the end D, the hinged door B, the brace C, and the stops a.

The top or cover A may be of any desired shape in cross-section, that shown being of an inverted-U shape. It is stayed and closed at one end by the end D, and is braced at the opposite end by the curved brace C, extended between the lower ends or corners of the sides of the cover.- i

The door B is hinged at its upper end, b, to the cover or top and swings down, and its lower edge is curved to correspond with the curvature of the brace C. It is limited in its downward movement and prevented from swinging in by the stops a, extended inward from the sides of the cover.

The cover A, end D, brace C, and stops a 5o may be made together; but for economy and lightness it is preferred to make them of sheet material, suchas tin, galvanized, cast, or malleable iron, the cover being made of a single piece bent or cast in one or more pieces into shape, and having its open end and lower edges folded or wired to stiffen and'strengthen it, and the edges of the brace C are likewise wired. l

In practice the top is made to tit on top the ordinary letter-box, and the top of such box forms the bottom for the attachment, which is secured thereto in any desired manner, preferably by the wires E, which are passed through openings e at the corners'of the cover and under the anges f of the usual letter-box, F. In some cases the attachment and letter-box may be made together, as shown in Fig.v 3; but generally they will be separate, and the attachment will be constructed substantially as shown and hereinbefore described.

I do not limit myself to placing the supplemental compartment on the top of the letterbox. '4 It can be so constructed as to be applied to the bottom. In this latter case the brace C would rest against the bottom ofthe letterbox and the door would be hinged to it, and

the general contour of the attachment adapted to the new location.

Having thusl described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s j '1. The improved mail-receiver for letterboxes, composed of the supplemental box A,A

open at one end and adapted to be placed against the outside of and secured to a letterbox, and having that portion of the letter-box adjacent to and opposite the supplemental box form awall for said supplemental box, and the hinged door closing the open end of the supplemental box and adapted to close automatically when released, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described attachment for letter-boxes, composed of the cover closed at one end and open at its opposite end, the brace extended between and uniting the lower ends or corners of the sides of said cover, and the door hinged at its upper end to the top ot' the cover and adapted to close automatically against the brace, substantially as setforth.

. 3. The herein shown and described attachment for letter-boxes, composed of the cover IOC) one end and having openings at its corners, the brace, the stops, and the hinged cover, and the wires passed through said openings and 15 under the flanges of the letter-box top, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my s gnature in presence of two witnesses.

SMITH THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

JAY STONE, JAMES A. RANDALL. 

